Pupilar, the unifying platform for youth employment in the UAE, successfully hosted its first NextGen Career Fest 2025. This flagship event, organized by Pupilar with in5 as the Talent Accelerator Sponsor, brought together a diverse community of stakeholders. Held at in5 Tech, Dubai Internet City, the full-day event welcomed over 500 attendees and more than 1,000 registered youth representing 50+ nationalities and 100+ universities. The festival also gathered employers, policymakers, and education leaders to foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration around building a future-ready workforce.
The event also witnessed/welcomed the gathering of about 60+ high profile VIPs, including:
Saeed Al Nofeli, Vice President, in5 Innovation Centers | Mahir Julfar, Executive Vice President β Venue Services Management, Dubai World Trade Centre | Meshael Al Blooshi, Seasoned HR Leader and Active Board Advisor (ex. HR of Nakheel) | Sarah Shaw, CEO of Majra UAE | National CSR Fund | Claudia Pinto, Head of Philanthropy & Sustainability Advisor to HH Sheikh Marwan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum | Ayman Al Awadhi, Managing Director, The Corporate Group | David Van Lochem, CEO and Co-Founder, Augmented Workforce
In addition to the VIP presence, the event brought together a strong HR and employer ecosystem, featuring over 70 companies in total β including:
- 18 hiring exhibitors
- 19 partners
- 16+ industry mentors
- 14 youth-led start-ups, including Izaβs Soap House, founded in Dubai in 2022; the venture of an 11-year-old entrepreneur.
NextGen Career Fest stands as a testament to how purpose-driven initiatives can actively shape the future of youth employment. Far from being a one-off event, it forms a core pillar of Pupilarβs long-term mission to achieve Zero Youth Unemployment that fosters an ecosystem where collaboration between government, academia, and industry is not just encouraged, but sustained year after year.
Beyond the shortage of available jobs, the core challenge lies in the widening gap between traditional education systems and the skills demanded by todayβs rapidly evolving job market. Recognizing this gap, and as part of the UAEβs broader drive through initiatives like the ambitious D33 agenda to foster innovation and position youth employment as a core economic priority, platforms like NextGen Career Fest play a vital role in translating vision into action. Driven by Pupilar in partnership with in5 as Talent Empowerment Sponsor, NextGen serves as the foundation of a larger movement to build a Global Talent Hub, unifying the UAEβs youth talent ecosystem and bridging students, jobseekers, and industries across all sectors under one future-forward platform.
While events like NextGen Career Fest provide an important platform to bridge the gap between talent and industry, addressing youth employment challenges requires sustained, structural shifts. Employers continue to report mismatches between applicant skills and job requirements, and many graduates still lack practical experience to compete in a market increasingly shaped by digital transformation and AI-related skills. NextGen is helping spark this change by driving stronger connections and preparing youth to meet evolving industry expectations.
According to Pupilarβs Co-founders, βwhen youth are given the platform to rise, the future changes for all of us. NextGen is where dreams start but more importantly, itΚΌs where they get built. We began this journey from our own struggle, two young women trying to be seen, trying to matter. Today, with the UAEΚΌs largest youth career community, we’re here to bridge the gap.Β Because the future doesnΚΌt belong to one generation it lies in the space between the young and the experienced. And it ‘s time we stop treating youth employment as charity. It ‘s not a CSR move. Itβs a business strategy. To stay relevant, to innovate, to grow, we must invest in youth not just emotionally, but strategically,β said Aqsa Khalifa and Maimuna Rashid in a joint statement.
Over the past 2β3 years, many Pupilar community members have experienced transformative growth from uncertain students to confident professionals shaping their industries. Some have gained the voice to lead teams and speak on stages. The most fulfilling milestone: several early members, once jobseekers, now return as employers β hiring the next generation at NextGen Career Fest.
NextGen isnβt a one-off, it’s a growing blueprint to tackle youth career challenges across the region. Each edition builds on the last, driving real-world impact in hiring, upskilling, and access.
As we look to 2026, Pupilar invites; sponsors, partners, educators, and employers to co-build the next edition with us and help propel the future of youth leadership.
